Thinking of starting Eldar (Saim Hann)

After playing marine armies for years I thought it was time to start playing some thing else, something really fast. I was talking to a tournament player and multi-time winner and he suggested a Saim Hann jetbike army or a shining spear army? I wanted to get a general consensus on these 2 army types before I start playing/buying. I want this army to be competitive in tounaments and want to know if you guys think these are good armies. Obviously I will wait untill the new codex to buy anything, but the major stuff won't change i'm guessing.

Shining spears cost way to much for what they do. They run 250 pts for a full squad without an exarch. In the new codex, however, they look like they'll be getting quite a boost. For more on the shining spears army look at this thread if you haven't already.http://www.librarium-online.com/foru...ears-army.html

The Saim Hann army: Jetnike are a little overpriced but they'll perform well if you know how to use em. Max out on shrieker jetbikes armed with shuriken cannons. You are allowed one of these in every three jetbikes.
Tournament wise, people abuse Saim Hann's ability to field 6 fast attack choices to employ an army of Vypers. A power gamer could possibly field 22 star cannons(or other heavy weapons of their choice) with this build 18 of which would be on vypers.
Another thing to note is the special HQ Saim hann have: The Wild Rider Chief and his retinue of kinsmen. Basically, these guys are just uber jet bikes capable of arming half of the squad with shuriken cannons.
Upcoming new codex changes will eliminate craftworld rules as they exist today but jetbikes will become a troops choice so you can still have your speed.

An army in the new codex that would probably work for you would take jetbikes as troops, and either shining spears or vypers(probably a mix) as fast attack choices. Plus you'll be able to select 3 heavy support choices. Falcons are a natural choice but Fire Prisms may get a huge boost in the new codex. The general advice now is to buy the Fire Prism box set which comes with a full falcon grav tank and an additional fire prism turret.

Oh and don't for get you can put farseers and warlocks on jetbikes to. Antitank capabilities can be presented by putting a singing spear wielding warlock on a bike and attaching him to a guardian jetbike squad.

Actually playing eldar can be a lot of fun. If your interested in doing so you might want to think about starting an army now and just make sure that you can adapt to the new codex by making carefull choices and making your models reconvertable (magnetize, use "tac" type adhesives, rubber cement, diluted superglue etc etc etc)

For example notice how shining spears cost as much per bike as guardian jetbikes? Just buy the shining spears now, and then if something happens in the new codex so you're limited in how many you can field just take the spears off, or perhaps throw some runes, capes and some plastic spears/swords and you've got flying farseers etc etc.

This is also where the fire prism unsed for now as a falcon comes in.

Also if you're buying via mail order (or if your store does it). Consider getting wave serpent weapon sprues. They're $4 and have all the eldar heavy weapons, this gives you lots of flexibility down the road.

meh..... If you want fast, don't do the eldar, YET. Maybe when they come out in november, but for now, just go white scars or Ravenwing, or maybe Nightlords.... but for now, the Eldar are just way to costly, in terms of cold hard cash... I mean a space marine bike is 15 bucks per model, and when you average the ammount of bikes you have, with the wargear you give the sqauds, they come to about 40 points each. But the eldar jetbikes are also 15 bucks each, and they only cost like 25 points each.... you need loads.... I would wait until the new 'dex.

OK Shining spears - as they stand - forget it, they are too over priced to be effective, the new codex is rumoured to make some improvements, but I doubt they will become brilliant

Saim Hann - OH my, I wrote an entire tactia which is stickied somewhere, for Viktor, look it up, it will explain, Saim Hann are a novelty army which I love, they can be turned into a power game ultra effective tourney army by using 18 vypers, but expect wholesale cries of framage. Again the new codex may change things